Boeing and the Department of Justice have reached an “agreement in principle” that will keep the airplane manufacturer from facing criminal charges for allegedly misleading regulators about safety features on its 737 Max plane before two separate crashes that killed 346 people.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has struck a deal in principle with Boeing to allow it to avoid prosecution in a fraud case stemming from two fatal 737 MAX plane crashes that killed 346 people, a harsh blow to the families of the victims.

The US Department of Justice said Friday that it struck a deal with aircraft maker Boeing to avoid prosecution of the company over two fatal crashes of the 737 Max, a Friday court filing in the case said.